A Big Day!

Today is a BIG DAY! For starters, Stampin’ Up!’s 2013 Holiday Catalog is open for business. Woo hoo! Now you can focus on those Christmas cards you’ve been itching to start. Before you click on the link below, I want to warn you – this catalog is not like anything you’ve seen from Stampin’ Up! before. It’s amazing-er. The first half of the book is filled with project ideas and beautiful pictures. It looks and feels like a Williams-Sonoma catalog. The second half contains the products that were used to create the items in the first half of the book. It’s really a great way to present the beautiful products, but I wanted to point it out because it’s different. Spend some time in the first half, really enjoying the projects and soaking them in. By the time you get to the back of the book, you’ll know exactly what you want to order (until you see things there that you missed in the front). 🙂 Click the picture below to browse the new catalog:

There are some other new items available today:

  • New Thinlits Card Dies are available for purchase.
  • The new 25th Anniversary Best of… stamp set is available today.

More on these items after my card.

To honor the importance of this day, I have one card for you that “answers the call” from two online challenges AND includes new items available in the Holiday Catalog. Whammo! Let’s start with the card:Christmas Collectibles, A Banner Christmas, Petite Pairs, Stampin' Up!, Brian King, PPA166, PP156

This card features a Color Challenge from The Pals Paper Arts (PPA166):

And a sketch challenge from LeAnne Pugliese at The Paper Players:

Tips, Tricks and Reminders:

  • Using Colors.  I know I’ve already said this once this week (and I’m not proud of myself for being repetitive), but I really like non-traditional colors on a Christmas card.  When I saw this combination of colors for the Pals Paper Arts Challenge, I didn’t immediately think “Christmas!” – it’s true – but I really like to challenge myself.  It might have been a stretch from the start, but I am happy with how the combination of colors turned out.
  • Balancing a Variety of Colors.  I balanced the colors on the ornaments by stamping one ornament in each of the three colors and then accenting them with one of the other colors.  Since I wanted to feature the pink ornament (the closest to a funky Christmas color), I popped it up in front of the other two.  Again, because I wanted the eye to focus mainly on the pink, I designed the pink border around the outside of the card to be the thickest.
  • Three Points.  I like things in threes – you know that by now.  I’ve added this bullet point because I can’t stand to just give you two points about this card.  Although there’s no real content here, it rounds out the three points, and that looks better.  OH!  OH!  OH!  I can make a point – three ornaments, three stars on the right side, three layers of border around the card.  OK, scratch the whole “I don’t have anything else to say” part.  Things look more balanced in threes. Let’s go with that!

Stamp Sets:  Christmas Collectibles, A Banner Christmas, Petite Pairs  Inks:  Strawberry Slush, Daffodil Delight, Smoky Slate  Papers:  Strawberry Slush, Daffodil Delight, Smoky Slate, Whisper White, Designer Series Paper Stack  Accessories:  Christmas Ornament punch, Pearl Basic Jewels, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I promised you I’d tell you a little more about the promotions that start today.

  • Thinlits Card Dies. They’ve been called flip cards, flip flop cards, swing cards, and more-but they have always been a bit tricky to create. Not anymore! Our amazing new Thinlits Card Dies cut and score to create a card that flips in just one step.

Click the .pdf below to learn more about these incredible dies – available for purchase TODAY:

  • August’s 25th Anniversary Best of…Stamp Set. Every month this year, Stampin’ Up! is offering a “Best of 25 years” set.  This month’s is The Best of Halloween.  Check it out here:Best of Halloween
  • MORE Christmas and Holidays.  I feel pretty comfortable that you are going to love all the items in the Holiday Catalog.  It doesn’t stop there, though.  Remember, we can still order items from the Carryover flyer.  Check it out here.
  • And don’t forget that I am offering product shares and Designer Series Paper swatch books. A great way to “test out” a little of (almost) everything in the Holiday Catalog.  If you are interested in learning more, please click here.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Brian

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27 Comments

  1. It really is amazing-er! A ‘proper’ ideas catalogue as well as the products.

  2. I am really excited about the “flip” card dies . I have made them on my own but you have to hold your mouth just right and all that so this is going to be so much fun to to pop it on my new Magnet Platform and crank crank crank ! Plus I love love the new monthly 25 year stamp set for Halloween !! This is super excitement time ! My mailbox is going to be so happy !

  3. Oh and I like your card too ! Sorry I kinda got carried away there ….

  4. Oh yes! Love this collage of Christmas Ornaments! I love collections of three!

  5. Laurie Burns Gachewicz

    Whammo!! And the applause roars!!! It is super exciting!!! Three cheers for the power of three!!! Great card Brian – the polka dots are fun, festive, AND they remind me of snow!!! 1,2,3!! 😉

  6. What a beautiful and delightful card, love this ornaments, the colors look great together and your layout is amazing, Brian. Finally the new catty is open for business, really fun times ahead!!

  7. love the bright modern vibe on this!

  8. Yes, everyone associates Chrismas with red & green. Now I’m going to date myself here, but if anyone remembers when the tree was decorated with the large bulbs with colors of red,green,blue,yellow and pinkish color, well your card falls right into place. At least in my opinion. Job well done with your card Brian.

  9. Really – who would have “thunk” – strawberry, daffodil and smoke colors for Christmas? And yet, miraculously, it works. The King does it yet again.

    Last night I watched the entire video of the opening ceremonies of convention – tonight I’ll watch the closing ceremonies. I sooooo wish I was there. Everyone seemed to be having such a fantastic time and the give-aways were amazing. I’m so thrilled you got to go Brian!

    • Grace, I too have been watching the videos of the convention. Isn’t it great that we can see what was going on . . . and drool! I am so happy for Brian too, that he got to go, that he got the first male award and that he was a demonstrator with his cards. (I hope I got those two titles correct.)

  10. Hi Brian, I just love this card. The details you added in the ornaments are beautiful. Of course, the layering is something I have to think about all the time, “Oh, I should add another layer here” and you make it so natural. I love that you post as you think . . . #3 bullet, you could have just deleted it, but it read just like we were talking together. I love it. Thanks a bunch!

  11. Beautiful card Brian!

  12. Very cool card!

  13. The colors on your card remind me of a winter sweater. Very nice.

  14. I love the colors. Who’d have thunk it for a Christmas card! I have the “old” ornament punch, stamps, and dies, but this new shape is beautiful. I can’t wait to see what Mary Fish makes of it. Another vase? We’ll see. Meanwhile, I totally agree with you about groups in odd numbers like 3 for cards. I am not a fan of asymmetrical design. I too like your “stream of consciousness” writing. It’s so personable. Have more fun and stay well! Nancy B

  15. I love the card! The colors are great and your layout is amazing! You are one talented guy! 🙂

  16. Gorgeous Christmas card, Brian! I love these colors with the ornaments and I’m usually pretty traditional. Great job!!

  17. Brenda Gore Thompson

    Beautiful card! You never disappoint, Brian!

  18. Awesome/wonderful card, Brian. Love the colors and images, and the dotted paper reminds me of snow. It puts me in a festive mood. Bring on the holidays!!

  19. Brian, I spotted your “threes” right away! I am a three kinda gal myself! I LOVE THREES! And I think your non-traditional colors are fabulous; you combined them very well. I particularly like the three little pearl embellishments….what a nice touch! Thanks for playing with my sketch this week at the Paper Players!

  20. Love it, Brian! PPA colors combined with the Paper Players sketch combine to make a fabulous non-traditional holiday card! Thanks for playing with The Paper Players!

  21. Love…love…LOVE as usual ! You truly are the “King” of cards!

  22. Pingback: A Few of My Favorite Things…and Why I Think You Should Like Them Too | stampwithbrian.com

  23. Wowza! What a fabulous holiday card with those colors, Brian! You are making me give that stamp set another look, too. So pretty! Thank you so much for joining us this week at the Paper Players! 🙂

  24. Brian–card is gorgeous of course. But I just had to say how much I thoroughly enjoy your blog posts in general. The whole “three bullet points” thing made me grin all the way inside my brain. I can absolutely HEAR you saying that whole third bullet point litany there! You rock, as always!

  25. Gorgeous card, Brian. Love the fabulous layers of the ornaments and beautifully details. Thanks for sharing with us at Pals Paper Arts this week!

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